Tag: lend money

51.x. Wilderness – 16.c. “Slaves, Vows, and Lending”

 

 

Deu 23:15-16  “You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him. You shall not wrong him.

Obadiah 1:14    Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.

Deu 23:19  “You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest.

 Exodus 22:25   “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.

 Luke 6:34-35   And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Deu 23:21  “If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.

 Psalms 76:11    Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them;

 Psalms 116:18    I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,

 Ecclesiastes 5:4-5    When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.  It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

Deu 23:24  “If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag.

 Romans 12:13     Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

 Hebrews 13:5   Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

It is honourable to shelter and protect the weak, provided they are not wicked. Proselytes and converts to the truth, should be treated with particular tenderness, that they may have no temptation to return to the world. We cannot honour God with our substance, unless it be honestly and honourably come by. It must not only be considered what we give, but how we got it. Where the borrower gets, or hopes to get, it is just that the lender should share the gain; but to him that borrows for necessary food, pity must be showed. That which is gone out of thy lips, as a solemn and deliberate vow, must not be recalled, but thou shalt keep and perform it punctually and fully. They were allowed to pluck and eat of the corn or grapes that grew by the road side; only they must not carry any away. This law intimated what great plenty of corn and wine they should have in Canaan. It provided for the support of poor travellers, and teaches us to be kind to such, teaches us to be ready to distribute, and not to think every thing lost that is given away. Yet it forbids us to abuse the kindness of friends, or to take advantage of what is allowed. Faithfulness to their engagements should mark the people of God; and they should never encroach upon others. (Henry)

We have all seen warning labels on things we buy. Don’t use this electric device in water, Don’t put your hands in front of the saw blade, Don’t put this plastic bag over your head, Don’t touch the surface when it is hot, Don’t drink this, etc…. Many of these are self-evident but you have to know someone somewhere has done this. 

God knows the intent of our hearts. These miscellaneous laws are given because the intents of our hearts is known by God and our heart’s intent would naturally flow towards what God says not to do. 

 

43.q. “Wilderness” – 7.x. “If you lend money to any of my people”

 

Exodus 22:25  “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.  If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

 Leviticus 25:35-37    “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.  Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you.  You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.

 Proverbs 28:8    Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

 Ezekiel 18:17    withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes

Interest was prohibited on loans made to the poor and the taking of collateral had to be reasonable. “The reason for the prohibition is presumably that the poor man borrows in his need. The loan is seen as assistance to a neighbor, and to make money from his need would be immoral.” (Guzik)

The people of God should ever be ready to show mildness and mercy, according to the spirit of these laws. We must answer to God, not only for what we do maliciously, but for what we do heedlessly. Therefore, when we have done harm to our neighbour, we should make restitution, though not compelled by law. Let these scriptures lead our souls to remember, that if the grace of God has indeed appeared to us, then it has taught us, and enabled us so to conduct ourselves by its holy power, that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. (Henry)

If a man should lend to one of the poor of his own people, he was not to oppress him by demanding interest; and if he gave his upper garment as a pledge, he was to give it him back towards sunset, because it was his only covering. God directs Himself at once to the hearts of the Israelites, and attacks the sins of selfishness and covetousness. (Keil)

When our hearts and minds begin to understand that all we have has been given to us by God, it is then when begin to understand the commands of God concerning the needs of others.